Instructor Class Description

Special Topics in Women Studies

Exploration of specific problems and issues relevant to the study of women. Offered by visiting or resident faculty members. Primarily for upper-division and graduate students.

Class description

Citizenship and Gender in the Global North

Citizenship is gendered. Gender arrangements in Europe and in the United States are a key dimension of political participation, economic performance, civic engagement, and family life. Persisting gender inequalities on both continents are a challenge that governments, businesses, and families address in different ways and with different priorities. Investigating gendered citizenship means assessing, among other things, the distribution of economic and political resources, of public and political voice, and of care work in Europe and the US. This course introduces students to multiple approaches to gender equality, ranging from the liberal citizenship discourse and its policies in the United States to social democratic citizenship in Scandinavia and republican citizenship in France. We will assess current states of inequalities and different measures to counteract them. Moreover, we will ask how the EU has influenced gender policies in its member states and whether Central and East European Countries have adjusted to Western gender norms after 1989.

Student learning goals

Students will get acquainted with theoretical approaches to how gendered citizenship is constructed and reproduced.

We will explore spheres of inequalities in comparative perspective and learn about ways to address such inequalities.

You will be writing a longer paper in several guided stages and learn how to develop a comparative investigation in gendered citizenship.

General method of instruction

Lecture, seminar-style presentations and discussion

Recommended preparation

Class assignments and grading

The information above is intended to be helpful in choosing courses. Because the instructor may further develop his/her plans for this course, its characteristics are subject to change without notice. In most cases, the official course syllabus will be distributed on the first day of class.
Last Update by Sabine Lang
Date: 07/28/2013

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Modified:April 23, 2014